That early 11 a.m. tip had all the makings of chaos.
Winter Storm Fern forced Kentucky and Ole Miss into a morning matchup at Rupp Arena, and layered on top of it was a storyline Big Blue Nation couldn’t ignore: Travis Perry was back in Lexington — just not in Kentucky blue.
The Lyon County legend, once viewed as part of Kentucky’s future, walked into Rupp wearing Ole Miss colors only months after transferring. Revenge-game chatter followed him all week. But by the time the final horn sounded, the story had flipped completely.
Narratives don’t win games. Kentucky does.
Despite an ugly offensive afternoon, the Wildcats leaned into toughness, defense, and late-game composure to grind out a 72–63 win over Ole Miss — their fifth straight victory and another step forward for a team finding its identity.
The reunion that never caught fire
Perry wasted no time testing the waters, launching a deep three on Ole Miss’ first possession. It clanked off the rim — and that miss set the tone.
The anticipated revenge game never arrived. Kentucky’s defense smothered Perry, taking away his comfort spots and forcing rushed decisions. He finished scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting with two rebounds in 10 minutes, his Rupp Arena return ending quietly rather than dramatically.
Winning ugly still counts
This was never going to make an offensive highlight reel.
Both teams struggled to score, trading bricks in what felt like a full-on rock fight. Ole Miss shot just 32 percent from the floor. Kentucky wasn’t much better at 36 percent. The Rebels actually made more field goals than the Wildcats — but the game was decided at the free-throw line.
Kentucky dominated there, outscoring Ole Miss 28–14 from the stripe.
Otega Oweh embodied the grind, scoring 12 points and repeatedly attacking the paint to draw fouls. Jasper Johnson provided a much-needed spark off the bench with 11 points, knocking down three triples. Trent Noah made the most of his 11-minute stretch, contributing three points, two rebounds, and three steals — exactly the kind of energy Mark Pope has been asking for.
Chandler delivers — again
With Ole Miss hanging around late, Kentucky needed one more moment.
They got it from Collin Chandler.
Clinging to a three-point lead with 47 seconds left, Chandler stepped into a fearless 25-foot three and buried it. The shot pushed the lead to six and finally broke Ole Miss’ resistance.
It was another clutch chapter in Chandler’s growing SEC résumé — from the full-court assist in Baton Rouge to this dagger in Rupp.
After that, Malachi Moreno slammed the door. The big man controlled the glass all afternoon, pulling down nine rebounds, and calmly knocked down free throws late as Kentucky finished the game on a 6-for-6 run at the line.
Bigger than one game
This win wasn’t about a former player or a morning tip.
Kentucky has now won five straight SEC games after starting conference play 0–2. The Wildcats sit at 14–6 overall and 5–2 in the SEC, riding a surge fueled by defense, physicality, and belief.
They didn’t play their best basketball Saturday — and still won by nine against a league opponent.
That’s growth.
The Wildcats are creeping back into Top 25 conversations, but there’s no time to relax. Road trips to Vanderbilt and Arkansas loom next. Still, Kentucky heads out knowing something important now:
They can survive ugly games — and finish them.
